In a vehicle seat that is conventionally known, a seat back is rotatably connected to a seat cushion via a reclining device, so that a tilt angle of the seat back can be adjusted. Such a reclining device is taught by Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication Number 2006-14942. The reclining device described therein includes a disk-shaped ratchet affixed to a frame portion of the seat back and a disk-shaped guide affixed to a frame portion of the seat cushion. The ratchet and the guide are axially assembled while being mutually supported, so as to rotate relative to each other.
Also, the ratchet and the guide are circumferentially connected by a cylindrical retainer member along outer circumferential portions thereof, so as to not be axially disengaged from each other. The retainer member has a flange-shaped retainer portion. The retainer portion is formed in one end periphery of the cylindrical retainer member and is shaped to be capable of being axially held against an outer disk surface of the latchet. Therefore, the ratchet and the guide can be axially positioned in the cylindrical retainer member by the retainer portion in order to be incorporated thereinto.
The ratchet and the guide are disposed in the retainer member. Thereafter, the other end periphery of the retainer member is bent and crimped. As a result, the bent end periphery of the retainer member is axially held against an inner disk surface of the guide, so that the ratchet and the guide can be axially clamped. In this disclosure, the guide has radially depressed recesses that are formed in the outer circumferential portion thereof at intervals. Conversely, the retainer member has retainer strips formed therein. The retainer strips are axially inserted into the recesses, so that the outer circumferential portion of the guide can be guided by the retainer strips.
That is, a cylindrical portion of the retainer member is constructed of a plurality of retainer strips that are circumferentially formed therein at intervals. Further, the retainer strips are inserted into the recesses of the guide, so as to guide the same. Therefore, the retainer member can be prevented from being excessively radially projected from the outer circumferential portion of the guide.
According to the conventional art described above, the reclining device can be radially downsized. However, the bent end periphery of the retainer member can be radially inwardly extended along the guide while being positioned closely adjacent to each other. Therefore, projected dowels that are used to attach the guide to the frame portion of the seat back cannot substantially be formed in positions closer to an outer circumferential periphery of the guide.
Thus, there is a need in the art to ensure a connection strength between a connection device and subject components even when the connecting device is downsized.